Demographic indicators

In 2014 live births were 509,000, five thousand less than in 2013, representing the lowest record since the unification of Italy. Deaths were 597,000 units, about four thousand less than in the previous year.

The total fertility rate was equal to 1.39, as in 2013. The mean age at childbearing increased to 31.5 years.

The decrease of births is due both to Italian and foreign mothers. In 2014 the former got a TFR of 1.31 against 1.97 of the latter.

A significant decline in mortality has led to a further increase in life expectancy at birth which reached 80.2 years for men and 84.9 years for women. Because of the convergence process between men and women the gender gap has dropped to 4.7 years.

The net international migration amounted to +142,000 units, corresponding to a rate of 2.3 per thousand. This is the minimum value of the last five years.

Registrations from abroad of foreign citizens were 255,000, while Italians who repatriated were 26,000. International emigrations concerned 48,000 non-nationals and 91 thousand Italians. The net international migration of foreign citizens amounted to +207,000, while for the Italians it was negative, accounting for 65,000 units.

The changes of residence between municipaliities were 1 million 350 thousand. The North and the Centre areas were affected by a positive net flow of internal migrants, respectively equal to 1.0 and 0.9 per thousand inhabitants. In the South and Islands area there was a negative net internal migration rate, equal to -2.1 per thousand.

In 2014 the population grew by 0.4 per thousand, the lowest level in the last ten years. In absolute terms, the growth amounted to just 26,000 units, resulting in a total population of 60 million 808 thousand residents on 1 January 2015.

Non-nationals residing in Italy on 1 January 2015 are 5 million 73 thousand and represent 8.3% of the total resident population. Compared to 1 January 2014 there was an increase of 151,000 units.

As had regularly happened for a decade, there was a further reduction of the population of nationals, dropped to 55.7 million residents as of January 1, 2015. The net loss in the last year amounted to 125,000 residents.

As of January 1, 2015, the mean age of the population reached 44.4 years. The population by main age groups is distributed as follows: 13.8% under 15 years of age, 64.4% from 15 to 64, 21.7% from 65 years and more.